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By Tony Megahey

Marvellous Jindabyne mare Gwennybegg ($17 on TAB), trained often enough in snow by Georgie Boucher, the town postal officer, butcher shop co-proprietor and occasional Cooma track curator, is the sentimental favourite at value into the feature race at Tuesday’s Queanbeyan TAB meeting.

Georgie and her partner Mick originally paid a bargain $5000 for the eight-year-old mare and while her 11 wins have been mostly at non-TAB meetings, Gwennybegg’s strong last start Tumut 1600m win is appealing.

Gwennybegg (Zara Castellaz-Faico) scores at Sapphire Coast. Image by Bradley Photographers

As an open grade mare with 11 wins and 9 placings, the mare gets a maximum 4kg claim off 57.5kg against BM 58 opposition in the Joe Cleary Racing Handicap over 1600m.

Tumut was a dream debut win on the mare for New Zealand apprentice Olivia Dalton, who travelled from Warwick Farm and is indentured to the Richard Collett stable.

Gwennybegg, a Shamus Award protégé, is meeting tougher opposition but is in the zone.

“Just hoping as she's in winning form, is race fit, handles all going and senior riders like Michael Travers said we need to claim now she's up in weights,” Georgie explained.

“She won well last start but it was a non-TAB race so harder here, obviously, as she did finish fifth behind Joe Cleary’s topweight (Pink Panther - $3.60 favourite) previously at Queanbeyan.

“But she’ll be strong at the ‘mile’; just hoping for luck in running off the pace on a tight track.

“I ride her work in our paddocks, also trot her off a motor bike which is permitted on private property but not on racetracks.

“We’ve just three in work, I don’t have stables as such, just shelters in our paddocks. We’re on a property 30km from Jindabyne and near 100km to Cooma.

“So we only go to Cooma for fast work and certain times of the racing season.”

Meanwhile, Gwennybegg’s neighbours are brumbies as the property adjoins the Kosciuszko National Park.

“Out of curiosity the brumbies come for a look, occasional worry if you’ve got mares, but we’re well fenced and keep our distance.”

As expected prolific Queanbeyan premiership winner Joe Cleary has targeted the family sponsorship race.

Topweight Pink Panther is favourite on the strength of successive Queanbeyan wins with 60kg plus and apprentice Ruby Scott claims 2kg off a massive 64kg.

At present the track is a Soft 5 in fine weather.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Queanbeyan here